Makulay na Tinta: Isapuso!

Learn to unlearn. It was words by my colleague, ka-master Mam Ana during our class in Issues and Trends in Teaching English  - as I recalled my journey  as campus journalist back in high school days. Flashes of memories. I was in first year high school when I bagged third place in headline writing - English, school based. Nervous and diffident then, as I saw myself competing with other campus journalists in the division level. Learn to unlearn. Welcome to the 21st century where learning to adapt isn’t just important to your survival, it’s essential for you to prosper in the bigger game of life. As futurist and philosopher Alvin Toffler once wrote, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

 On my first year in the teaching industry, I was assigned as the school paper adviser for English young writers of Balayang High School.  The mission, simply put, is to provide the encouragement, resources, training, and inspiration young writers need, to stimulate their imaginations and challenge their potential.

I believe our campus journalists' potential would be more awaken with these tips in feature writing and editorial writing. Thankful to Buhay Journalist to share these helpful and handy tips!

Tips in Feature Writing 

1. Be a keen observer. Maging aware ka sa mga nangyayari sa paligid mo. Kailangan mo yun lalo na kung informative na feature article ang isusulat mo. Imulat mo ang iyong mga mata at hayaan mong masurpresa ka sa iyong mga makikita.

2. Maging mapili sa mga salitang gagamitin mo. Kailangan yung mabilis na makakuha ng atensyon ng mga mambabasa. Hindi basta simpleng salita lang, kung pwede mas laliman mo pa pero mabilis maintindihan.

3. Don't limit your words. Sabi ko kanina, maging mapili pero 'wag na 'wag mong lilimitahan. Isulat mo lahat ng naiisip mo na related sa topic. Pero 'wag na 'wag kang lalayo.

4. Hindi dapat masyadong mapalabok ang article mo. O hindi dapat paligoy-ligoy. Karamihan sa judges sa PressCon, ang gusto straight to the point.

5. Create a powerful lead. Iyan ang unang binabasa kaya kailangan yung lead mo maangas, yung tipong nananapak. Ganun din dapat sa title. Pumili ka lagi nung kakaiba. Dapat lagi mong ichecheck kung tama ba ang grammar.

7. Ayusin ang sulat. Always give the best of yours para walang regrets sa huli. Kung maganda nga ang laman ng article mo pero pangit naman ang sulat mo, hindi yan babasahin ng judge. Sayang ang effort mo.

Editorial Writing Tips:

1. Editorial should be based in an issue. Ang editorial article ay dapat relevant ngayon, dapat may high degree of sensibility ito. Hindi yung mga historical or yung mga nangyari na

2. Dapat Unbiased. Oo, alam natin na lahat ng news ay dapat hindi biased. Sa editorial, iinterview lahat ng sides tas write down the different beliefs and perspectives of the sides.

3. It shows evidence delivered in a professional and formal manner. Formality encompasses the use of language and the style of argumentation. Minsan yung iba satin napapagkamalan nang feature or vice versa. Sa feature is mas loose ang rules and expounds the idea by creative language. Editorial is direct and yields a serious tone.

4.  It simplifies an issue. And editorial ay yung  simplified objective explanation ng hottest issue in its proper perspectives. Sabihin natin na yung hottest news ay ang bagong curriculum ng isang school. The editorial may talk about the causes and effects to the students, teachers, and stakeholders.

5.  Offers Alternative Solutions. Ang function ng editorial is ro efdectuate change in other's beliefs and stands. The editorial does this by offering a suggestion ro remedy the problem or issue being criticized

6. Maging Aware sa different types ng editorial articles. For every issue may different perspectives writing styles, interpretation. Minsan kapag finocus mo ang isang issue sa isang writing style, ang mga readers ay nahihirapan intindihin ang articles mo.

7. Be Aware of Everything around you. Tumingin kayo sa news reports, articles, and online news tungkol sa mga issues ngayon.

PressCon Reminders:

1. Dapat kumpleto ang tulog mo before the day ng laban. Hindi ka makakapagsulat ng maayos kapag inaantok.
2. Magdala ng scratch paper incase na kailangan. Minsan provided na rin ang scratch paper pero magdala ka pa din, mas mabuti na yung sigurado. Damihan din ang dala ng ballpen. Iba ibang klase dapat. Baka mamaya, bawal ang sign pen, dapat may naka-ready kang extra.
3. Kumain lang ng sapat para 'di ka distracted habang nagsusulat.
4. Read, read and read. Magbasa ka ng mga articles at mga libro na sa tingin mo ay magagamit mo. Mas mainam yung may stock knowledge.
5. Mag-pray ka before you write. Ito ang pinakamahalaga sa lahat. Ask for guidance and for blessing.

 Always remember we write for a purpose.
Congratulations guys on making it this far, and best of luck in the elimination rounds!

Day two: Training campus journalists in Editorial Writing English & Filipino. (July 2, 2019)

Day one: Training campus journalists in Feature Writing English & Filipino. (July 1, 2019)

Literacy Changes Lives: A Celebration of Literacy week at Balayang High School

Balayang High School successfully celebrated Literacy Week with the theme “Literacy Changes Our World”, through  fun-filled events such as Hula Hoop Challenge, Icebag Popping Challenge and a lot more!

The BHSians kicked off Literacy Week last November  to celebrate and raise awareness about the importance of writing, speaking and listening and to inspire BHS students to make reading a part of their daily routines. This event was made possible by the English Department, along with teachers and officers of I Speak English Club.

The English Faculty of Balayang High School

One way to promote this four foundational skills of language learning is by organizing a Literacy Week at school. Here we share to you how Balayang High School in Victoria, Tarlac celebrated their Literacy Week.

Students from Grade 7 to Grade 11  played a variety of literacy-themed games. The celebration began in a door contest where students decorated their classrooms' doors like a favorite book character, or with  something to promote reading that goes along with the theme "Literacy Changes Our World". Activities throughout the week also included declamation,speech choir, spelling bee, essay writing, poster making, quiz bee and speech contest.

Door Contest

Literacy Booths

“This is my first celebrating Literacy Week at Balayang High School and I am excited for the opportunity to spend time with hundreds of BHS students and their outstanding teachers throughout the week. I look forward to this event every year because it drags attention to the vital role of reading and literacy in every facet of our lives,"said Teresita P. Lorenzo, Principal II of Balayang High School.

Learning to read and write is a basic skill that unfortunately not all children in the world learn sufficiently. Societal change puts increasing demands on individuals' competence in using written language, so it's important that schools are able to teach such skills to all learners.In order for students to reach their full potential, they must continually hone essential reading and literacy skills.

The pics we've all been waiting for! Enjoy!

Books We Love!

Poster-making

Declamation

Our students co-hosted the event

Poster-Making

Quiz Bee

Spelling Bee

Speech Contest

Scrabble! Our Cup of Teaching.

I believe that students would benefit from playing some scrabble. Using scrabble game in improving students literacy, numeracy and all that. That being said, vocabulary is the basic element of a language. It is commonly defined as all the word used by the speakers when using their language. According to Richards (2000:255) suggest that “vocabulary is a core component of language proficiency and provides much of the basis for how well learners speak, listen, read, and write”. It means without knowing and having enough vocabulary, someone or language learner will be difficult to understand the other language skill such as speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Vocabulary is one of the items that have to be mastered first by the students in learning English, because no one can speak English if they have limited vocabulary and without a proportional amount of vocabulary any one will get trouble in the process of learning English.

Teaching is a people profession that demands a large amount of time being dedicated to personal interaction. Positive teacher-student interaction has a very crucial role for effective teaching and learning to take place (Arthur, Gordon, & Butterfield, 2003). There are many important factors including productive Teaching and learning. Positive teacher-student interaction can be defined by shared acceptance, understanding, affection, intimacy, trust, respect, care and cooperation (Krause, Bochner, & Duchesne, 2006).

It's fortunate that in some of our vacant periods, we can play this game to somehow meet students’ developmental, emotional and educational needs. I recall, two students approached me, they were cheerful while revealing to me they have adapted new words and that they will make note of it. Glad hearing that, I understood even how minimal beneficial things matter to these learners.

Here sharing a pic during those days when our learners are unloaded, while we are on less paper work mode, at least on lunch breaks :)

Featured Students of Balayang High School

Shekinah Balbin Barroga - Good Hearted Woman

As I began teaching in Senior High School this year, I figured it would be inspiring for students of Balayang High School to highlight all if not some of them who are leaving good impact on their companions, peers, fellow students and even teachers like yours truly regarding character and esteem. Character, not only knowledge is the thing that makes an awesome student. What your choice of words says about your personality. NO ONE DOUBTS that the words we write or speak are an expression of our inner thoughts and personalities.

I have been blessed to meet many of the future leaders in my classrooms and in BHS's hallways, and I greatly treasure the relationships I have with these intelligent and inspiring people.

Shekinah Balbin Barroga

Hello there! So… you’ve landed on my blog, looked around a bit, and are wondering, “Who in the world is this gal?” 

The Bible speaks very highly of those who had faith. There are many servers of women of faith, and I can learn much by face-to-face talk in school with Shekinah.

Well, allow me to tell you a little about herself with,

10 things you should know about 

Shekinah Balbin Barroga

1. What is your grade level and graduating year? 

Presently I am at Grade 9. I will be graduating from senior high in 2021.

2. What does success in the classroom mean to you?

When I gain a lot of learning in the classroom,  this means success to me.

3. What do you plan on doing after K12?

I would like to go to college and to get a degree in education. 

4. What is your favorite memory in high school?

Whenever I am with my friends and teachers.

5. What is your proudest moment?

When I became a leader of Young Sister for our church.

6. What is one thing that you gained during your life at Balayang High School which you feel was of great value?

 I know that everything comes in to serve a purpose. I like giving advice to my friends and classmates. And for the spirit of generosity, every so often I offer monetary aid to students that don't  have a single cent to spend for food. 

7. What do you want to learn more about?

I want to learn more about humility, and to accept my mistakes and learn from it. 

8. Who are your heroes or role models?

My co-believers in Christ.

9. What are you good at that nobody knows?

I am fond of writing stories and inspirational poems.

10. Do you have any projects that you are working on/have worked on that is being supported by any organization?

Being the leader of Young Sister in our church, I teach new songs thrice a week. I also serve as emcee.

Welcome to my Second Field

Each day, each child, each subject brings with it an immense number of variables and possibilities. To me, this is what makes teaching so amazing, yet so daunting. Teaching cannot be scripted. Quite to the contrary, even the best planned teachers have to “wing it,” each and every day because of the nature of our jobs.

Likewise, teaching would lead to at least one person feeling I’d improved his or her life in some little way. What better way to do that than to teach? 

Welcome to my second field...

My Students Journal

My Students Journal (on updating mode)  will re-direct you to another web page.
Please click this link.
Thanks for dropping by.

About Me

Grateful, excited and looking ahead for what's next.

Ciel was a PR and communications professional in UAE before she became a teacher.  Ciel had over two decades of executive management experience in the corporate world, most of it in Communications and Public Relations. Throughout her career in the corporate world,  Ciel had worked with a number of high profile clients both locally and internationally.

Coming into teaching as a mature individual with 20+ years in the corporate sector,  "I finally achieved my childhood ambition as an English teacher. I left the corporate world to teach and pursue my love of teaching."

" As a mother of two grown kids, it is important for me to have a work-life balance. I care about those special moments between loved ones and work."

"The benefits of being a teacher and a mother and the impact you can have are too great."

"In my corporate jobs, I used to write press releases, for various industries in UAE such as hospitality, food, fashion, technology and business , with a strong emphasis on launching restaurants and building brands, as well as media outreach."

At forty-something, Ciel finds teaching as her second field. Thus inclined to teaching, she studied Master in Education and Professional Education to cope with the young one's needs to grow to be an informed member of the society in which they live....

 As a senior high school teacher now, she aims to teach life lessons while also teaching English.  Ciel shares thoughts on education, classroom encounters, teacher innovation and insight, and experiences of a public senior high school teacher.

She believes that an influential teacher  never stops teaching, even outside of the classroom. This is her journey...

Her other blog can be seen on foodtimesme.blogspot.com. You can reach her at writermamateacherfromtarlac@gmail.com